Roof tile and method of making the same



May 3 1927. 1,627,266

F. A. BEALE ROOF TILE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 31, 1925 Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. BEALE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MUHLE- MAN & KAY HOE, INCORPORATED, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OI! vmemm.

BOO! TILE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed March 31, 1925. Serial No. 19,640.

My invention relates to improvements in roof tiles and the method of making the same, and particularly to roof tiles composed of binding material and aggregates,

6 and to the method of making the tiles and finishing the surface thereof to give a pleasing and artistic appearance when the tiles are applied upon a roof.

An object of my invention is to provide a tile of such form that it will closely overlie and fit upon other associate tiles when laid upon a roof and will cooperate to form an efiicient roof covering.

A further object resides in providing a method of makmg tiles which will give a permanent and pleasing finish to the outer or exposed surface. 7

Another object is to provide a method of making roof tiles by which the same can be readily and quickly formed and finished thus reducing the labor and cost of manufacture.

With the above and. other objects inview, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel features and ste s or rocesses which will be hereinafter set fbrth 1n connection with the drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a roof tile constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through a roof structure at right angles to the ridge thereof to show my improved tiles in use.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating one mechanism which can be used in making my improved tiles.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the pallet support.

My improved roof tiles can be made of vrectangular, hexagonal, or any other desired polygonal outline and the tiles are formed less thin slabs to be laid upon a as more or roof in overlapping staggered relation to break the joints, after the usual manner.

'I n Figure 1 I have illustrated a tile having its body 1 of rectangular outline, and having its exposed face 2 roughened to give a sand or weathered texture. Openings 3 aud t are formed through the body 1 adjacent one end to receive nails or other fastenings by which the tile is held upon a roof and it will be appreciated that my improved tile can be constructed in any desired manner to accommodate particular fastenings, or can have any particular form of fastenmg means embodied therewith.

The body 1 is preferably formed on a gradual curve from end to end, and this curve is upon such an are that the tiles will overlie one upon the other and each overlying tile will be fully supported and will lie closely upon the secured or underlapped end of the last course. As each tile is curved up or crowned from endto end, as indicated at 5, the tiles can be constructed with a finished surface on the weather side, and this finished surface will always be laid to be exposed. It is preferable that the side edges 6 be made comparatively smooth, and I have found that a rough sand finish upon the exposed surface, as indicated at 7, gives a weathered and particularly leasing roof surface when the tiles are in p ace.

In making my tiles I have found that various binding materials or cements can be used for the main body portion, and that the surface finish, with or without coloring matter, can be applied upon this body to unite therewith and become a permanent part of the roofing tile.

In Figs. 3 and 4 Ihave illustrated apparatus which can be employed to advantage in making my improved roof tile. The pallet 8 is formed from a sheet of metal to be of substantially rectangular shape and has the flanges 9 and 10 bent upwardly at the sides thereof to a height corresponding substantially with the desired thickness of the body of each individual tile. The pallet 8 has the side flanges 9 and 10 formed along opposite side edges thereof, and the remaining sides are 0 en, the pallet being curved up or crowned rom one open side or end to the other upon an arc of a circle correspond- Car colors or spaced sufliciently to accommodate the length of the pallet 8. These end pieces are preferably made of sheet metal or other material which possesses sufficient resiliency to spread to receive the length of the pallet and to close over the open ends to provide stops 13 and 14 which cross the open ends of the pallet. Cleats or angle bars 15 and 16 are secured transversely on the end pieces 11 and 12 to receive and support the pallet 8.

While various binding materials or cements and various aggregates can be used for the tile body 1, I have found that alumina cement possesses some advanta es over ordinary Portland cements. I emp oy one part of aluminacement and two parts of ordinary sand mixed with water to a proper consistency and then poured and spread out over the curved bottom of the pallet. A bar 16 can be used to advantage in spreading and smoothing this wet mixture, and the cement is spread to a height corresponding with the rise of the sides 9 and 10 above the curved bottom of the pallet.

The surface texture and coloring are secured by applying a surface material directly upon the smoothed upper face of the material within the pallet, while the material is still wet. In carrying out this surface treatment, I make a dry mixture of sifted cement and coloring material, or cement, coloring material and sand, the coloring material preferably being in powdered form. This dry mixture is sifted or otherwise precipitated' upon the wet surface of the material within the allet, and sets up and 'unites with the ho y material without further manipulation. As' the surface material is sifted or precipitated upon the surface of the tile body, the finished surface will have a rough texture giving a weathered appearance, and the coloring will be permanently united with the body material to thus insure a permanent and even coloring when the finished tiles are laid upon a roof. After the tile body has been formed and the surface treatment has been applied, the pallet 8 is removed from between the end pieces 11 and 12 and is placed upon a rack until the cement material is properly set and hardened. Artificial means can be employed to aid in this curing and hardening process.

Ihave found that an ordinary hand sieve can beused to advantage in precipitating the surface material, and experiments have shown that a pleasing mottled or variegated efl ect can be obtained by placing different surfacing material ina single screen, the different colors being placed separatel within the screen and being permittec to blend as the screen is shaken or agitated to precipitate the surface material. Also, I have found that copper powder, and the like, can be mixed with cement to be precipitated upon and united with the body of the tiles, and that a weathered or oxidized effect can be accomplished by sprinkling or otherwise treating the completed tiles with an acid or other oxidizing or corrosive agent. From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a roofing tile which is of such form that the butt end of each succeeding course of tiles fectly overlaps the last succeeding course, thus avoiding cracks or crevices in the roof beneath the butt ends of the tiles and giving a full support for the tiles as laid upon a roof. Also, method of making tiles insures a substantially uniform result and that the surface color and texture is accomplished at a minimum expense for materials and labor.

lVhile I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments and have suggested only certain possible modifications,-

it will be appreciated that changes and variations can be made in the form, construction, method and composition, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of making roof tiles which consists in molding a body of wet material, precipitating upon the weather surface of the body a mixture of binding material and surfacing matter, and permitting the binding and surfacing matter to absorb moisture from the body and to harden thereon without being smoothed or otherwise surfaced.

2. The method of making roof tiles which consists in molding a wet plastic material to the desired tile form to produce a body curved upwardly from one end to the other, smoothing the outer curved side of thebody, precipitating on to the curved surface a mixture of hydraulic cement and surfacing material to take moisture from the plastic body, and curing the tile without smoothing the surface thereof to thus produce a rough texture on the weather side.

3. A roof tile comprising a body of hy-' draulic cement and aggregates having a surface texture on its exposed face produced by precipitating cement and powdered surfacing material on to the body and permitting the cement to unite therewith without further working or smoothing.

4. The method of making roof tiles which consists in forming a body of wet plastic material, and precipitating unevenly and roughly upon the weather surface of the body surfacing and coloring matter to pro' duce a rough mottled effect and permitting tie surfacing matter to unite with the body without smoothing and'otherwise disturbing the rough mottled texture.

5. A rough. tile, comprising a body of binding material and body material having a rough surface texture on its exposed face produced by precipitating powdered cementlies fiat upon and perit will be appreciated that my ferent colored binding and surfacing mate- I rial to unite with the body without further working and smoothing. '10

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

FRANK A. BEALE. 

